Tag Archives: Featured

Environment

Arles air quality raises health concerns

Text by Sofia Langlois
Photo by Malcolm Taylor

Air pollution kills more people each year in France than any substance besides alcohol and tobacco, according to Damien Piga, director of external relations and innovation at Atmo Sud Marseille.

“When it comes to alcohol and tobacco, we choose to drink and smoke,” said Piga. “When we drink, we kill ourselves, but we don’t kill others. Air quality, on the other hand, is collectively suffered.” 

Atmo Sud is an air quality observatory that monitors pollution and recommends ways of reducing exposure. It is based in the South Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region of France, which includes the city of Arles, where narrow, densely populated streets can concentrate pollutants. 

Piga has worked at Atmo Sud for a decade and specializes in mapping pollution data. The non-profit organization’s website provides reliable data in real time, both about air currently being inhaled and air that is inhaled over time. 

Such data helps government authorities to enforce guidelines. For example, on June 19, Arles enacted Level 1 alert procedures as a preemptive measure for an increase of fine particulate matter in the air the following day. It involved health and behavioral recommendations across multiple polluting sectors.

Fossil fuels are a primary source of these fine particles. The region burns the most fossil fuels for transportation and heating, followed by manufacturing and agriculture. On days with poor air quality, the government requires drivers to reduce their speed by about 12 miles per hour (or 20 kilometers per hour).

The Air to Go application was recently developed by Atmo Sud in collaboration with the various observatories and Lyon/Lille counterparts. The Geolocated website and mobile app inform its users of the current air quality and provide recommendations on how to adapt behavior based on readings. Upon inputting your destinations for the day, Air to Go will advise which time and route is ideal to avoid the highest levels of pollution. It will be available throughout all of France in the near future.

“In Arles, for example, the proximity of the main roads is where I’m going to have the most pollution,” said Piga, in referencing the function of Air to Go. “I’m going to avoid going there… If I have to enroll my children in school, I’m going to look at where the schools are in relation to these maps so that I can have information and not put them in schools where there are playgrounds close to sources of pollution.”

The Atmo Index representation of daily pollution levels operates using an integer system (1-10) with the colors green, orange and red to indicate severity. It is mandatory to establish a comprehensible air quality index in urban areas exceeding 100,000 inhabitants. The WHO sets non-compulsory health recommendations. For each time its air quality recommendation is exceeded, the Index increases by one. 

Furthermore, the European Union established legal regulations to prevent countries from exceeding certain quantities of the various pollutants. It serves as a middle ground between health considerations and socio-economic normalities by adhering to respiratory concerns with an understanding that some polluting industries are important to civilization. 

Corporations that increase pollution levels in France are charged a tax based on the amount of emissions produced. Those funds are then allocated towards environmental operations. For instance, Aix-Marseille Metro pays up to 400,000 euros per year.

“If a company ultimately shows that it does nothing for the climate, does nothing for air quality, does nothing for biodiversity, we know that it has very little future,” said Piga. “Because more and more consumers are paying attention to this. On the one hand, there’s going to be pressure from regulations, but there will also be pressure from consumers and citizens.”

The concentration of pollution is measured in micrograms per cubic meter of air (often written as µg/m3). For reference, human hair is typically 50-70 micrograms. Particulate matter is a formulation of smoke, soot, salts, acids, metals or dust. It has the potential to induce tissue damage or lung inflammation when deposited on the surface of larger airways in the upper region of a lung. The two symptoms impact the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. 

Air pollution by fine particles is of primary concern because particulate matter with a mass of 10 micrograms or less is small enough to enter the lungs by passing through the nose or throat, according to the California Air Resources Board. Examples include construction-site or landfill dust, wind-blown particles from open lands and pollen. 

Those at the highest risk for developing health conditions as a result of short or long-term exposure include adults who are 65 years or older, people with chronic heart or lung disease, pregnant women, asthmatics and children. Humans breathe 15,000 liters of air per day. Children inhale more air per pound of body weight than adults. According to Piga, poor air quality is a cause of death for children worldwide equal to malnutrition.

“Exposure to pollution levels commonly observed in urban or peri-urban environments appears to induce cancer and result in excess mortality and a decrease in life expectancy from several months to several years,” according to the Encyclopedia of the Environment. A study conducted in 2016 by Santé Publique found that 48,000 deaths per year could be attributed to particulate matter 2.5.

Poor air quality can cause symptoms such as shortness of breath, watery eyes, itchy nose, throat irritation, reduced lung function, worsening of asthma or other respiratory diseases, increased need for hospitalization or emergency department assistance, faster disease progression and even decreased life expectancy. 

Dr. Christian Pic is a pediatric neurologist in Arles who earned a degree in sports medicine. He has experience working with athletes and additionally trains as one. Pic advises others to avoid running in hot, dry and polluted air.  

“It affects performance, yes,” said Pic. “I notice it in myself, in others. Illnesses are more of a long-term effect. We should conduct long-term studies on runners who are only in the mountains versus those in valleys and cities. We should conduct 30-year studies.”

There could be a widespread lack of awareness about more severe health implications from pollution exposure due to how long those effects take to present themselves, according to Pic. Short-term exposure often causes minor irritation. Over the course of a lifetime, particles such as those emitted from diesel engines can cause disorders of varying severity even in small doses, from respiratory/ocular discomfort to leukemias; alterations in the nervous, hormonal or immune systems; and genetic heritage. 

“I think it’s not immediately noticeable, actually,” said Pic. “There are pulmonary effects, then cerebral effects, but over the long term. There are studies that have been done with people living in polluted environments. In the United States, for example, there are studies with maps comparing people living in the middle of large agricultural plains with pesticides and neurodevelopmental disorders. The two maps intersect.”

Typical health recommendations include avoiding physical and sporting activities as well as high-traffic areas, favoring short outings and airing homes out for 10 minutes each day.  

Concerning those who work outdoors daily and cannot necessarily avoid highly polluted times and areas, there are other measures they can take to protect themselves. 

“This is very important for people working on construction sites: an employer must provide them with protective equipment,” said Piga. “In dusty environments, they must have respiratory protection, in particular masks. So it’s a question of respecting the obligation for professionals to use safety equipment properly.” 

Steven Castrillon is a mason in building construction and home renovation. He works eight to nine hours a day, five days each week. Castrillon emphasized that working in this field without protective equipment poses the risk of a respiratory infection or, in some cases, lung cancer. He specified that heat engines – machinery that burns fossil fuels – are a particular problem.

“Frankly, I haven’t had any respiratory problems yet,” said Castrillon. “I learned to avoid the long-term consequences of respiratory pollution by wearing masks and avoiding heat engines. If possible, use electric machines.”

Piga shared that Atmo Sud developed scholastic programs aimed at the younger generations. The modules are open source for teachers and professors to instruct specified lessons on air quality. Its purpose is to raise children’s awareness of the issue.

“The most effective way, as always, if we want to change behavior, is to work with children,” said Piga. “Because with children, they have life ahead of them; they have the world in front of them.”

Postcards, Traditions

A dangerous dance

Text and photos by Surya Vaidy

If there’s one thing I can say about bullfighting, it’s this: it is as beautiful as it is harrowing. It’s a pas-de-deux between two individuals. One is dressed in an intricate uniform with a red muleta (the large red flag carried by bullfighters) and sword; the other is hundreds of pounds of muscle and frustration crowned with wickedly sharp horns. Grim and brutal, but so elegant and vivacious at the same time. 

I did not expect to be granted a pass to the floor of the ancient Roman amphitheatre in Arles — a genuine stroke of luck that was a mixture of our guide, Marie-Anne Devaux, expertly convincing the officials and a heavy amount of begging on my part. I was standing with coaches, older bullfighters and the young novilleros (bullfighters who have not yet earned official ranks). The young fighters were the stars of the show that night. 

  • Photo by Surya Vaidy. Taken 6/29/2024.
    Novillero Valentin dodges a bull while with his red muleta in hand. Both the young bullfighter and the bull are locked into a risky dance.
  • Photo by Surya Vaidy. Taken 6/29/2024.
    Toreros prepare to anger and distract the bull at the start of a match.
  • Photo by Surya Vaidy. Taken 6/29/2024.
    Spectators watch the bullfight from below the stands of the Arles Amphitheatre.
  • Photo by Surya Vaidy. Taken 6/29/2024.
    Novillero Valentin miscalculates during his match and his shoved by the bull, narrowly missing getting punctured by the horns.
  • Photo by Surya Vaidy. Taken 6/29/2024.
    Novillero Victor strikes a deadly blow against the bull he is facing. Small, colorful daggers, called banderillero hang from the bull’s hide from earlier in the fight.
  • Photo by Surya Vaidy. Taken 6/29/2024.
    A young boy watches on as the matches continue on. Many youth were present in the Amphitheatre, despite the gore of the sport.
  • Photo by Surya Vaidy. Taken 6/29/2024.
    Novillero Valentin approaches a downed bull, about to deal the finishing blow with his sword.
  • Photo by Surya Vaidy. Taken 6/29/2024.
    Novillero Victor holds up his prize for a match well fought: the ear of the bull he killed. It’s an honor to recieve one ear, but it’s possible to recieve two ears, or even the tail depending on the performance of the bullfighter.

I still have a hard time processing the fact that most of the participants were a few years younger than me, with many in their late teens. Watching them engage in the violent duet with the bull was something I will never forget, especially because I could see it all at eye level. I felt as though I was in the ring myself, holding my breath as the young fighters dodged, thrust their swords or were hit by the bull. It was an adventure and a learning experience to witness.

Marie-Anne Devaux served as the interpreter for this photo story.

Places

“Gentrifica”: Song echoes through Arles’ winding streets

Story by Thomas Murphy, Lydia Perez and Mariko Rath
Photos by Thomas Murphy

As in most years, the streets of Arles came alive on June 21 for La Fête de la Musique, France’s annual midsummer night music festival. But in La Roquette, a neighborhood in the midst of change, one musical group took the opportunity to make a political statement.

In Place Genive, one of the historic neighborhood’s cozy gathering spots, a choral group known as La CLASH Chorale de Chants de Lutte Arlésienne, sang “Gentrifica” by longtime Arles resident Henri Maquet. Beginning with the chant “Airbnb. Airbnb. Airbnb, Airbnb, Airbnb” to the tune of the theme song from the ’60s TV show “The Addams Family,” they sang in the Provençal dialect:

“D’uno meno tranquilo 
veiràs la disparicien 
di bravis arlaten.” 

“In a quiet way 
you will see the disappearance 
of the brave Arlesians.” 

For La Clash, the festival was a chance to shed light on the impacts of gentrification, which is pushing some Arlesians out of the city’s center and changing life for those who remain. 

Some residents of Arles believe the city’s rising tourism has become a burden for longtime residents, especially those in La Roquette, the city’s oldest neighborhood and the home of immigrant communities.

Arles is renowned for its rich history and vibrant culture; as such, it has long attracted tourists. But, in recent years, with new attractions and new ways for people to capitalize on the city’s charm, some say Arles is losing what makes it special.

Exploring this vibrant area as a tourist in summer, it’s easy to be dazzled by the city’s charming winding alleyways and impressive monuments. The architecture of the distant past is well preserved and the streets are alive, filled with people eating at restaurants or looking through shops and galleries. What you may not notice are the scores of Master Lock key safes, the “for sale” signs hanging in windows, or the silence that falls in winter after the tourists have gone home.

“It’s changing. There are less people now, it’s rather difficult,” said Jean-Marc Bernard, a retired mason devoted to the preservation and improvement of his hometown. Having lived and worked in Arles his entire life, he knows its history well and explained how his hometown became “…a holiday village, only for tourists.”

Jean-Marc Bernard sits on his patio, cracking jokes while explaining his plans to improve the city.

Bernard explained that Arles’ factories were closed prior to 2003 when many buildings were damaged by major flooding from the Rhône. 

With one of its main revenue sources gone, the city decided to invest in its major industry,  tourism.

With an already impressive arts scene, featuring the Les Rencontres d’Arles photo festival and the legacy of Vincent Van Gogh, it made sense to find ways to draw more visitors.

In June 2021, the LUMA Tower opened, adding another tourist attraction to Arles. Spearheaded by pharmaceutical company heiress Maja Hoffmann and designed by the architect Frank Gehry, the gleaming structure has solidified Arles as a destination for the arts. 

Gertie, a resident of La Roquette for 10 years who didn’t want her full name used, said that the addition of art spaces like LUMA meant that ”Arles became attractive. Arles was the place to be.”

The rise of tourism has driven some property owners to capitalize on the market by listing with short-term rental services. Companies like Airbnb have made it easy for hosts to earn a lot of money renting their homes. 

“There was a lot of tourists, so there was a lot of Airbnbs,” Bernard said. “People were very interested to gain money.”

“Aqui soun li touriste,
que pagon li mai riche que compran nostis oustau,
per faire mai de sòu.”

“Here there are tourists,
who pay the richest.
Who buy our houses,
to make more money.”

According to AirDNA, which tracks vacation rental data, there are 220 short-term rentals listed in La Roquette, which had fewer than 2,500 inhabitants in 2006, according to the city’s website.

Data recorded by Insee shows the number of secondary residences  in Arles, which increased from 588 in 1999 to 1,693 in 2021. Karine Bernard, Jean-Marc’s wife, explained that “Parisians or foreigners…buy these houses, not even to make them Airbnbs or apartments. They’re empty for most of the year and just a second house for them.”

Some investors leave homes empty, waiting for their value to increase to sell later after the price increases. Insee data shows the number of vacant accommodations rose from 1,632 in 1999 to 3,521 in 2021, growing by 1,378 after 2015. Bernard reported that he bought his home for 85 euros per square meter when he moved to La Roquette 30 years ago. “Now,” he said, “it is worth about 3,500 (per square meter.”

“T’an vendu e per cent e per milo.”

“They sold you for a hundred and a thousand.”

As prices have risen, many longtime residents of La Roquette have left the neighborhood. ”The houses are so expensive, so you can sell them for a lot of money,” Bernard said. “Somebody can sell their house and buy a very comfortable villa with a garden.”

This exodus, combined with the growing number of short-term rentals and empty investment homes, have caused the loss of La Roquette’s spirit, some residents say.

“Before, the neighborhood was a real melting pot; there were several kinds of people,” said Gertie. Now, the neighborhood is becoming less diverse, with tourists sometimes outnumbering locals strolling through the district’s winding streets.

“Mass tourism can kill the spirit of a city,” said Thomas Corolleur, the former president of a community space in the town center called Parade. “[Visitors] want to find a place that has spirit, but if you have too many tourists you kill the spirit.”

When asked what he thought a solution would be, Corolleur said, “It’s a question of balance, how to find the right balance between people coming from outside and people living here full time. It has to be fine-tuned.” He spoke of other cities like Barcelona that plan on banning Airbnb by the end of 2028, and how this movement is a good thing for residents.

Vanille, who has lived in La Roquette since 2014 and did not want her full name used, explained that the best course would be to move away from a profit-centric model of home sharing. She’d prefer to see people use systems like Home Exchange, where members can swap homes or host to earn points, not cash.

”The big problem ,” she said, “is that there’s a lot of Airbnbs that are just Airbnbs, they’re not houses that you put on Airbnb for a week when you’re gone.” 

Like many cities in France, Arles relies on tourism. It will always be rich in art and culture, but the influx of short-term rentals to tourists allows the sense of community in the heart of the city to slowly deteriorate. Just like any other story of gentrification, money prevails, pushing out long-time residents of La Roquette, and making room for the wealthy.

“Nautri, pauris arlaten
Sarem pas pus aqui
Nous mancara d’argent
Per resta au pais.”

“We other poor Arlesians
We won’t be here anymore
We will be short of money
To stay in the country.”

The La Roquette is made up of a labyrinth of plant-lined streets that snake between the ancient homes.

Listen to Henri Maquet sing “Gentrifica.”

Environment

Faithful flock to bird conservation

Text by McCade Hayes
Photos by Autumn DeGrazia

In the heat of July in a rural region of Arles, France, a team of A Rocha bird conservationists tread past pastures of bulls raised for the arena and through fields of sunflowers. The footing is rough, especially encumbered by a ladder and backpacks full of equipment.

The conservationists walk toward one of their small nest boxes in order to ring a group of adolescent European rollers as part of their ongoing study. A Rocha is an international Christian organization working on nature preservation and environmental education. Within Arles, A Rocha is working on a project focused on the study of the European roller, a stocky blue and brown bird that has experienced decreasing populations throughout the region.

Timothée Schwartz climbs into a tree to retrieve motion sensor cameras. These cameras are used in order to track tags of the birds who migrate to the nesting boxes designed by A Rocha researchers.

A Rocha is actively working in more than 20 countries around the world, preserving the environment with the motivation of Christian ideals and the hard work of conservationists who come from all different cultures. The prevalence of Christian ideals changes the mindset of conservation workers with A Rocha.

“Joining our faith with our work is a privilege,” said Timothée Schwartz, the scientific director of A Rocha France. “It’s super motivating that we can do what we love to do and with a higher purpose.”

That motivation gives volunteers a shift in thought about the goal of their work in the first place. 

“I feel like working for A Rocha is more of a mission, so we don’t expect big salaries,” Schwartz said. “We get the satisfaction of doing the work.” 

(Left to right) Emily Walker, Gábor Vágner, and Timothée Schwartz review footage from the motion sensor camera previously mounted on a bird box. After three days, there were 45,000 photos to go through from a single camera.

A Rocha has two locations in France. The main office is located in the Domaine des Courmettes, located between Grasse and Vence. This site in the southeast corner of France focuses on education and awareness of climate issues, while also managing the preservation of 600 hectares of land. The Domaine des Courmettes’ doors are open to tourists and curious minds wanting to learn more about ecology in the south of France. 

The second location, Mas Mireille, is located 20 minutes from the city center of Arles. This location is dedicated to scientific research mostly on the European roller, but also extending to butterflies, dragonflies, spiders and reptiles. This research center covers 2,000 hectares of land, with bird boxes used to track habitats. Mas Mireille’s projects are funded through public donations, government grants and university funding.

Timothée Schwartz measures a roller’s leg, from thigh to foot, to track the growth of the bird, which is registered into the A Rocha database.

Schwartz focuses primarily on the European roller at the Mas Mireille center. The rollers are classified as sit-and-wait-hunters. The parents hunt by sitting atop tall perches such as trees or telephone poles, looking for insects or small lizards to swoop down on before returning to their nests to feed their babies. After hatching, the roller takes on average 30 days to fledge, and then leaves the nest. 

Izabela Kujawiak, in front, and Gaëtan Ganivet input data from the new museum tags put on European Rollers into the A Rocha servers.

The research Schwartz leads largely consists of ringing the species and analyzing the data from monitoring migration patterns with their tags. Ringing is a process for researching bird migration patterns or population numbers where a small ring is placed around the leg of the bird with a specific number so that the bird can be later identified by spotters.

(Left to right) Gábor Vágner, Emily Walker, Sarah Marc, Timothée Schwartz and other volunteers pray before eating lunch together. Each day a different volunteer of A Rocha makes a meal from their home country to share with the others.

Volunteers are able to identify the roller using the rings in combination with motion-sensor cameras. By identifying the roller, A Rocha is able to track whether or not the birds are returning to their native nests. 

Emily Walker, left, and Timothée Schwartz review images from the motion sensor cameras from bird boxes. They recognized an unfamiliar tag and traced it back to a research center in Spain. It is rare to find European rollers migrate to other nests than their native territories.

For volunteers, working with A Rocha can be a great way to get field experience as a conservationist while also learning about the actual scientific process of conservation.

Emily Walker looks through binoculars to view rollers flying around the trees where bird boxes are located.

“Ringing the birds, being a part of that process, is a lot of fun,” said Emily Walker, a volunteer for A Rocha Mas Mireille. “Having the opportunity to be a part of such a unique research project like this is very cool. There’s a very small number of people in this world who have actually been able to hold a roller. It’s a big privilege.”

The rollers are now currently threatened. The species has declining population numbers, with a 20% population decrease across Europe. The largest threats facing rollers in the modern day are shrinking habitat areas and poaching. Poachers often steal fledglings from their nest boxes and sell them on the black market as pets.

Louis Sanz, left, and Emily Walker, right, take note of the rollers’ sizes to use later for their research project.

A Rocha researchers gather data and upload it to scientific databases, making it accessible to other researchers working with the roller. This can help scientists compare research and identify birds that have migrated to different regions of Europe to nest. Schwartz is currently working on a book on the species based on research done with A Rocha. The publication of this research helps motivate conservationist volunteers. 

“I’m grateful to have the opportunity to participate in the analysis, the writing up, and helping with being published,” said Walker, who graduated with a master’s in biology from the University of Manchester. 

A roller is put into a bag so it can be brought back to the bird box after being ringed with museum tags. Approximately five birds get ringed from each bird box at a time.

A Rocha is unusual in the research world because it combines Christianity and environmental conservationism. Though the volunteers are not all Christian, many find hope within their faith.

Walker said that the environmental sector “can be a pretty pessimistic place. There’s not a lot of hope if you look at the data and the stats.” However, by combining her conservation work with her Christian faith, she feels a sense of purpose.

“I’m not going to save the world,” Walker said. “I don’t need to save the world, but it’s still important what I do and I’m not doing it for myself. I’m doing it to glorify God and to look after his creation.”

Timothée Schwartz climbs down from a bird box after ringing birds and returning them to their nests.
Politics, Religion

Muslim Women React to Hijab Restrictions

Story and photo by Solange Jain

Every weekday morning in Clermont-Ferrand, France, Aoitif Koubaa prepares to go into work as a special education teacher in a Catholic school. Before she walks in the building, Koubaa unpins her hijab, revealing her hair and neck, and places the fabric in her bag. Her hijab won’t be put back on until she leaves the school premises later that day.

Koubaa is one of many women in France affected by a controversial law affecting the display of religious symbols in government institutions. Some women find it unfairly restrictive, while others take a more neutral position or even approve of the principle behind it.

The 1905 French law on the Separation of the Churches and the State established the principle of laïcité (or secularism) in France, which ensures “the free exercise of religion” and that “the Republic does not recognize, pay, or subsidize any religious sect.”

On May 15, 2004, a new law banned the wearing of ostentatious signs of religion, including symbols and garments, in public schools. Discreet signs of religion, however, were not prohibited. Today, obvious symbols of religion, such as a large Christian cross, a Jewish kippah or a hijab, are prohibited in schools, civil service roles and administration roles connected to the state. 

I spoke to four women who each represented a different circumstance with regard to their shared practice of Islam, and thus different perspectives on France’s secular laws.

Aoitif Koubaa

Koubaa is a hijab-wearing woman working in a Catholic school, and though it is not a public institution, the fact that it is a school still grants it the right to prohibit hijabs on its students and staff.

For Koubaa, wearing the hijab means covering her most feminine elements (the hair, neck and chest) and respecting the five pillars of Islam: Profession of Faith (shahada); Prayer (salat); Alms (zakat); Fasting (sawm); and Pilgrimage (hajj). Thus, when Koubaa must take off her hijab every day for work she says it feels like a part of her is left outside the school building.

Koubaa believes laïcité does not serve its stated purpose and that it instead specifically targets Muslim women. It’s easy for Christians to hide a cross under their clothes, but almost impossible to hide a hijab, she pointed out. “France is not secular,” she said. “It’s hypocritical.”

With the rise in power of the extreme right in France, Koubaa says that there is more of a negative attitude towards Muslims. Koubaa worries that with the increase of far-right politicians in power, there could be a large reduction of mosques, halal food preparations and Muslim bookstores, for example.

“Even if you’re born here, you will always feel like a foreigner here,” said Koubaa. 

Najia Belqasmi

Koubaa’s sister, Najia Belqasmi, also works as a teacher in a public elementary school but, unlike Koubaa, chooses not to cover her hair or dress according to Islamic modesty standards. Laïcité does not have a great impact on her daily life and her opinion strays far away from her sister’s. She views herself as “a child of the Republic” and agrees with the laws resulting from laïcité. 

“Each is allowed to think what they want,” said Belqasmi. “It’s a liberty of thinking what you want. This is what laïcité is about and it is important.”

Rabia El Fegrouch

For Rabia El Fegrouch, the decision to wear the hijab is not one that holds a lot of significance. El Fegrouch arrived in France from Morocco on October 22, 2013, to join her husband who had been living in France since 1972.

Since then, El Fegrouch has lived in the Barriol, a neighborhood within Arles with a high concentration of people with North African heritage. Now 61, El  Fegrouch has worn the hijab since the age of 7. She says that for her, wearing the hijab does not equate to religion playing a larger or smaller role in her life. The hijab is a part of her overall culture in addition to a show of her faith, and, according to Fegrouch, she wouldn’t change now. 

“It is not about what others think,” El Fegrouch said. “It’s my choice.” 

In her time in France, El Fegrouch says she has felt little judgment regarding her decision to wear the hijab and her age is a contributing factor in her choice to stay modest. 

“It’s OK for young people to not wear it, but I am 61,” El Fegrouch said. “It doesn’t matter what others do.”

It is an inherited part of her culture that she is content to follow, she says, but she does not believe it is something every Muslim woman must do. 

Asma Drider

Similarly, Asma Drider, a Muslim woman who started wearing the hijab on the Islam holiday, Eid al-Fitr, of 2023, does not feel that wearing the hijab makes her more or less of a Muslim woman. 

“It represents my faith but it’s also just a piece of clothing,” Drider said when asked if she has been treated differently since choosing to wear the hijab. 

Drider says the amount of faith she holds has been the same before and since she decided to wear the hijab. She said that when she began wearing the hijab last year, people were surprised at first but quickly got over it, seeing that she hadn’t changed. 

“The issue doesn’t come from religion itself,” Drider said. “It just comes from politics.” 

Though all four women have had different experiences, they share a distaste for the treatment of hijab-wearing women in France and worry about the possible worsening of the freedom of religious expression. 

They all shared the same hope for France: for each person to live their own religion in their own way, without people stepping on others’ beliefs.

The state “can’t take away what is inside of someone,” said Koubaa. “France is a mix of people and beliefs.”

Feature photo: Colleagues Asma Drider (left) and Rabia El Fegrouch (right) have reacted differently to laïcité (secularism) laws.

Katie Thornton and Monica Ronco served as interpreters for this story.

Politics

The wind in Arles blows from the right

Text by Hannah Levitan
Photos by Surya Vaidy

In Arles, a small city of Roman monuments and narrow streets, the politics had long been reliably left, and for decades, the town’s mayors were from the Socialist or Communist party.

But as the ancient town’s economy shifted from a working-class community, deeply rooted in its Provençal traditions, to one reliant on tourism, the town’s politics too, have evolved. 

Flags of different political groups and social groups waved above the crowds during the entire rally. Photo by Surya Vaidy.

On June 30, France witnessed the largest voter turnout for a new National Assembly in decades, with 65.8% of the population casting their ballots in the first round of voting.

In the run-off elections on July 7, the turnout was 63%. The New Popular Front, a new leftist coalition, won a plurality of seats. But in Arles, the extreme right-wing candidate, Emmanuel Taché de la Pagerie, was reelected with 56% of the vote.

In the European Union elections, held between June 6 and June 9, the the National Rally, a far-right party known for its anti-immigration and nationalist policies, emerged with historic success. Within two days, the country’s four main left parties united to block the party.

“The threat of the rise of the far-right has never been so strong,” Emilie Pautus, a bookseller in Arles, said. “The mobilization in response has been stronger than usual to counter the threat.”

In the weeks leading up to the first round of elections, Nicolas Koukas, a representative of the French Communist Party and candidate for the New Popular Front, was making his rounds in the Bouches-du-Rhône Department’s 16th constituency. 

Campaigning through its diverse neighborhoods, open-air markets and rural farmhouses, Koukas was eager to secure votes as much for himself as against the National Rally. 

“A few years ago, we looked at the United States with Trump coming to power and we were very worried. [We thought] it was far away and not our situation,” Koukas said. “But now we realize, unfortunately, that the far right is here.” 

The fear, expressed by many who are not National Rally supporters, was that the party would threaten civil liberties and fuel discrimination against minorities. 

Kobaa Driss, manager of Moroccan restaurant Menara, said he witnessed a man rip off a woman’s hijab in a supermarket.

“The man said, ‘What are you doing here? Go back home!’ and he started insulting the woman,” Driss said.

Already, Pautus said the town feels more divided. “I don’t see how we could regain unity, at least not right now.”

One Arles resident, Emmanuelle Laurent, the director of communications for the city of Arles, believes that the political difficulty in France, since the beginning of the 2000s, is that all elections have become about blocking the National Rally. “Voters have become used to voting not necessarily for a party they truly support.” 

But it was in this region, the Bouches-du-Rhône, where the first candidates from that party’s predecessor, the National Front, were elected.

“I live in a village where the [National Rally] deputy was elected with 60% of the vote in the last two successive elections,” Laurent said. “I think this can be explained by the fact that people are very attached to their traditions.”

In the first round of snap elections, 40% of the vote in Arles went to National Rally candidate Taché de la Pagerie, despite the New Popular Front’s action throughout the district. 

“I think we’ve become aware of the huge difference between the urban population of downtown Arles, which is mostly left-leaning, and the more rural population around it,” Pautus said. But in the first round of voting on June 30, the difference was less pronounced, she said.

Preparing for the second round of parliament elections on July 7, the town’s walls were covered in campaign flyers, most in support of the New Popular Front.

While the leftist coalition won nationally, the National Rally still emerged strong in Arles.

The election left many people wondering how the government could function so evenly divided in three political camps. “I think it generally means that we have reached a society where people don’t really want to live together anymore, and I think we all feel that,” Pautus said.

Feature photo: New Popular Front candidate Nicolas Koukas speaks during a rally against the rise of the far right in France on June 22, 2024. Photo by Surya Vaidy. Interpretation by Monica Ronco and Claire Fanchini.

Environment, Postcards

Trash to treasure, the Rhône swallows it all

Photos and text by Thomas Murphy

As I walked along the Rhône during my first week in Arles, I noticed an old couch beneath the south end of the Pont de Trinquetaille. Beside it sat the remains of a Heineken 12-pack. I had clearly stumbled upon a local drinking spot, so I took out my camera and made a photo of the uniquely placed furniture. 

As I moved on from the couch, continuing down the side of the river, a man looked at me as he passed by. I thought nothing of this fellow pedestrian until I heard a loud splash from behind me. I turned to see the man walking away from the bridge and the couch floating in the Rhône.

With such an odd scene set before me, I jumped into action and began snapping pictures. Running up and down the many stairs leading to the water, I followed this cushioned raft until it began to slip beneath the surface of the Rhône.

As it sank, I began to think about what other random things could be sitting at the bottom of the massive river. I imagined layers of objects from throughout history making up the seabed, with modern-day garbage resting atop ancient relics. Turns out I wasn’t far off from reality.

The Arles-Rhône 3 is on display in the Musee departemental Arles antique.

When the Arles-Rhône 3 sank around 50 to 60 A.D., the transport ship was resigned to the depths of the Rhône River that cuts through the ancient city. It saw the light of day once again after a team from the Musée départemental Arles antique resurfaced the vessel as a part of a project to dredge up the countless relics lost to the river.

The ship is now on display in the center of a section showcasing the river’s treasures. It is surrounded by and filled with the amphoras, cut limestone and metal bricks that it once carried up and down the Rhône amongst other relics from the time.

The Roman Empire, under the rule of Julius Caesar, inducted Arles into the empire in 46 AD. This turned the city into a prominent sea-river port and spurred the expansion of the city,  which grew to include the arena, forum and amphitheater we see in the center of Arles today.

The Arles-Rhône 3, and other ships like it, were integral to the flow of trade in and out of Arles. The markings on much of the discovered lost cargo allowed archaeologists to form an idea of the trade networks that connected Arles to the Mediterranean, which reached Carrara in the North of Italy and the Iberian Peninsula.

Stonework from the Roman era is on display in the Musée départemental Arles antique.

Amazed by such wonderfully preserved pieces of humanity’s history, I began my walk back into town. As I strolled alongside the Rhône yet again, I was reminded of how the boys from the Arlesian family I’m living with and I had biked from a picnic party the night before, going through a thicket to find a small, eroding section of riverbank along the Rhône. 

There, we found a fire extinguisher floating within reach of the massive stick we had just pulled from a bush. We found that the extinguisher had expired in 2004. The fire extinguisher now sits on the floor of the shower in my host brothers’ bathroom. They intend to clean it and mount it on their wall.

A fire extinguisher is one of the newer relics salvaged from the Rhône River.

As I go over these memories in my mind, I am reminded of the peril that our world is in. Today, humanity continues leaving its mark on the Earth, creating a legacy that will show exactly how we lived our lives. Unfortunately, the legacy of our current era will not be of ancient wonder, but one of filth and reckless waste. Plastic and trash fills our rivers and seas, polluting them and choking life from the natural world. A couch sinks below the water’s surface. A fire extinguisher floats by. The rising waters eat away at the riverbank.

The world is experiencing change at an unprecedented rate because we are affecting it at a level never seen before in our history, but why is that? Recklessness. Humanity has acted upon this impulse for centuries, to burn whatever we have to in the interest of constant growth. A random passerby throwing a couch into a river embodies humanity’s comfort in a world where excessive waste is the norm and its destructive force is not fully recognized.

Postcards, Traditions

A Vegetarian Explores Arles

Text and photo by Ania Johnston

Vegetarianism is easy most places–you just need to get creative.

I recently stumbled over a curious fact posted by France Today: “Over 5% of the French population is vegetarian, compared with 10% in the United Kingdom, or up to 40% in India.” I guess what they were trying to say is that it’s a low percentage and ultimately it’s pretty hard to survive here as a herbivore. But in my experience, it’s easier to get vegetarian food than to explain my vegetarianism to locals.

Here is my brief guide to navigating the land of vegetarian scarcity. I hope that you’ll find it very French and very veggie-friendly. 

1: Prioritize eating at home over restaurants. 

My first day here in Arles, I found out that I had been matched to a vegetarian host family. Since that day, they have cooked only one meal with meat as the main dish — chicken — primarily because they had meat-eating guests over. My first night in Arles, I was treated with a gorgeous rice-based meal with tofu and asparagus. I couldn’t complain. 

You may not find yourself in such a lucky situation. So, I suggest the second you step off your train–jet-lagged and sweltering from the high-noon heat–put your bags down in your Airbnb and go out looking for your local patisserie, fromagerie, then a cheeky little cave à vin. (I didn’t say I would be appealing to the gluten-free or dairy-free here. You all may be out of luck.)

In my case, I was able to find this fantastic Bio store right in downtown Arles by the LUMA. It’s got everything you’d ever need and more and I suggest you stock up because living on Mediterranean time means that from noon to 2 pm, and on Sunday, most grocery stores will be closed.

2: If you have to go to restaurants it’s easy!

Ordering anxiety is real. Vegetarian options are real too. You got this.

Start thinking like a local rather than a tourist. The classic dish in Arles (and allegedly the entire south of France) is gardiane de taureau–bull stew. It comes from the tradition of bullfighting, and it is NOT veg-friendly. Duh. Luckily, no one is making you order this, and there are plenty of other options.

One thing that tourists might find confusing here is the formule also known as the “deal meal.” This typically includes a main dish, a coffee, and a dessert, and it comes at a fixed price. These are rarely vegetarian so if you find yourself at a restaurant that has their big formule on display, ask for the menu!

During lunch hours this dish is usually most popular and some restaurants may not offer up the menu right away. I promise you, however, the menu will include a nice salad (maybe even with some local olives and burrata.) If you find yourself unable to locate any veggie mains, one of my favorite tricks is getting an assortment of appetizers. It’s especially fun in a big group and if you order the grande planche (large board) you’ll be able to satiate your meat-lover friends too.

3. Get creative with it!

You don’t have to be boring to be vegetarian. It’s not all salads and grazing– especially in a Mediterranean hub like France! 

One of my favorite things to do is visit the Arles farmer’s market on Wednesday or Saturday mornings and just have a field day with the various stands. “Je voudrais…”

I often go to an olive stand that my French instructor showed us our first week in Arles and I love to get the spicy olives and the garlic ones. Just like every other Mediterranean dish they are covered in oil and Herbes de Provence and they are so tasty. The best thing is to get some brie, grab yourself a baguette, even some fougasse and indulge in fresh tomatoes or peppers.

A little bundle of strawberries isn’t all that bad for dessert either. Once you’ve gathered your goods take a walk to the Parc des Ateliers and find a shady patch of grass. 

Bon appetit!

Arts, Traditions

Arles tunes in

By The Arles Project Staff

Arlesians gathered in the city’s many plazas to enjoy performances from local musicians and students June 21 as part of the nationwide Fête de la Musique.

”It’s alive,” said Arles resident and music student Maria Del Mar. “It is the moment to be. You are concentrating on what you are doing and people are watching and feeling you and exchanging with you.”

Dancers at Place Genive. Photo by Thomas Murphy.

Fête de la Musique has annually animated French streets every June 21 since 1982.

This year, students from Conservatoire du Pays d’Arles, a local music school, showcased their musical talents at Le Capitole in La Roquette.

The eldest of the three sisters, Judith, aspires to specialize in classical music. However, for her, the fun is in the familial aspect of her musical endeavors. “It’s very nice playing with my sisters because I can help them. I really like when we can practice together and play all together.”

Judith and Madeleine Drilleau. Photo by Elizabeth Coleman

Helping her band, The Sheshs, set up, Lisa Guibaud said that this festival is great for the city because it attracts even more tourists to Arles. “It makes the city alive, so it is really cool,” Guibaud said. 

At La Place Voltaire, children gathered to watch and even perform. “If I am in France and there is la Fête de la Musique, I go” said Yodit Kebede, the mother of a young performer. Kebede has been attending the festival since her own childhood.

Children were as engaged as their parents. Photo by Solange Jain.

Young students from a nearby music school came out to perform hit classic rock songs such as “Boys Don’t Cry” by The Cure and “Sultans of Swing” by Dire Straits.

“I think people are drawn to the rhythm,” said Marco Xavier, who was taking in the scene. “Our bodies have a rhythm, too.” This sentiment was also seen in the west end of La Roquette, where residents gathered to sing, dance, and enjoy delicious food. Among the songs sung by the assembled choir was one titled “Gentrifica,” a song that expressed local frustrations with the rising costs of housing due to the spread of Airbnbs.

Guitar detail. Photo by Malcolm Taylor.

Liam Franceschi is a twelve-year-old student at Studio Franceschi, a music studio in Arles, France. He has a variety of talents, including playing the piano, electric guitar and singing, which he has been doing for five years and counting. “I started singing by myself and wanted to start learning the lyrics and sing with other people,” Franceschi said.

His father, the director of the school, has taught him many skills. Liam doesn’t have a favorite genre to play or sing to, but he does not enjoy French rap as much.

Liam Franceschi and a fellow band member. Photo by Karla Valdez.

The celebration brought a stream of business to cafes and restaurants such as Floris Artisan Glacier in the Place de Republique. “It is the opening of the season, it is the moment where people start to come and all and it is a festivity when all the bars and restaurants start to organize everything,” said Pascal Jeom-Phillipe.

Left to right: Bruno Arnold, Pascal Jeom-Philippe and Edwin Noel. Photo by Sophia Maxim.

The day ended with a collective concert held by Rockette Records in front of the Saint-Trophime Primital Church in Place de la République, with flashing lights, and fog for a rave. The featured performers were Makassa, Vax Populi, Bison Bison Falling Down, Salah, and DJ Transition. The energy of the crowd was electrifying with people standing on top of each other and screaming their hearts out all night long.

The evening ended with a blast. Photo by Autumn DeGrazia.

Video by Hannah Levitan

Reported by Thomas Murphy, Karla Valdez, McCade Hayes, Morgan Lily Neuhauser, Lydia Perez, and Judas Wiley. Featured image by Surya Vaidy.

Politics

Leftist politicians speak at Arles demonstration

Story by Sofia Langlois
Photos by Thomas Murphy
Video by Sophia Maxim

Citizens of Arles in support of a new left-wing coalition gathered at Place de la République on June 22. Theirs was one of many recent protests across France opposing the far-right Rassemblement National in a contest for control of the National Assembly.

The event provided an opportunity for leftist political candidates to take aim not only at the National Rally but at incumbent President Emmanuel Macron. 

“He is not interested in Arles,” said Nicolas Koukas of the French Communist Party, who is running for the 16th electoral district of the Bouches-du-Rhône. “And we need to have in the country elected territorial officials who know people, who know their worries, who know their problems.”

Koukas is a candidate of the Nouveau Front Populaire, a wide-ranging leftist alliance formed on June 10 in response to Macron’s decision to dissolve the National Assembly. The organizations involved include La France Insoumise, Les Écologistes, Place Publique, the French Communist Party and the French Socialist Party, among others. 

The Nouveau Front Populaire formed in opposition to the Rassemblement National, a right-wing French nationalist party that promotes populist and anti-immigrant values. It was founded by politician Jean-Marie Le Pen in 1972 and was formerly known as the Front National. The party gained popularity after it acquired a less extremist image under the leadership of his daughter, Marine Le Pen.

Protestors sheltered under umbrellas while listening to candidates, including Nicolas Koukas (facing the crowd, second from right,) Photo by Thomas Murphy.

In the European Union elections of June 6, the right wing gained seats in delegations of many of the 27 member countries. In France, the centrist Renaissance Party, led by Macron, received 14.6% of the vote, significantly defeated by the Rassemblement National, which received 31.6% of the vote.

Macron dissolved the National Assembly, thus launching early legislative elections in France. The two rounds of voting will take place on June 30 and July 7.

Koukas, a citizen of Arles, delivered an impassioned speech at the June 22 protest. “Where is [Macron] in the fights?” he asked. “Where is he in the struggle?” Koukas suggested Macron’s administration had neglected public services such as the Arles Hospital and Miramas’ public freight service.

Koukas encouraged the people of Arles to push for a selection of government officials who have their interests at heart. He accused the president of neglecting Arles as a prominent city in the nation. 

“He is not there. He is nowhere. He is elsewhere,” said Koukas.

Macron’s presidential term ends in 2027 and left-wing supporters are trying to prevent Le Pen from entering government. If the far right gains a majority, the president would likely appoint Jordan Bardella as prime minister, granting him limited authority over domestic and economic affairs. Bardella would serve under the terms of cohabitation laws, which gives the position to the party with the majority of seats in the National Assembly.

As a means of preventing conservative politicians such as Le Pen and Bardella from holding office, those in opposition took to protesting. The movement quickly gained traction and demonstrations have been held in several cities.

Koukas concluded his speech by promoting the Nouveau Front Populaire. He emphasized that its leadership does not define the group but rather the citizens who support the left-wing values it was built on. 

“We will be there to defend,” Koukas said. “That is what brings us together today and what makes us strong because the Popular Front is not Christophe or Nicolas. The popular front is you.”

Sophia Maxim contributed to this report.

Featured image: Nouveau Front Populaire candidate Nicolas Koukas and others march on rue Gambetta in Arles. Photo by Thomas Murphy.